Planner

OCU Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

OCU Group is seeking a Senior Planner to shape and control project delivery programmes from feasibility and tender through to construction and completion. This office-based role is in Greenwich within the Regulated Power department, offering a permanent, full-time career with regular travel across UK projects.

You’ll collaborate with designers, project teams, clients, and supply chain partners, developing schedules, monitoring progress, and updating programmes to reflect scope changes and risks.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Planning or Project Controls role within power, utilities, infrastructure, civil engineering, or construction environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Primavera P6.
• Experience developing and maintaining project programmes across complex construction projects.
• Good understanding of construction methodologies, sequencing, and project lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and awareness of change management processes.
• Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Degree or Master's qualification in Construction Management, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Bonus if you have experience working on substation, EHV cable, transmission, or power infrastructure projects.
• It would be great if you have experience using Microsoft Project alongside Primavera P6.
• It would be great if you have knowledge of FIDIC or JCT contract forms.
• CSCS card and an understanding of project controls methodologies would be advantageous.
• Experience with cost loading, resource loading, and earned value reporting would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage project programmes from pre-construction through to project completion.
• Coordinate planning inputs from civil, electrical, and multidisciplinary design teams.
• Produce and maintain detailed project schedules, ensuring programmes accurately reflect project scope and delivery requirements.
• Monitor progress and update programmes throughout the project lifecycle, identifying risks and opportunities.
• Analyse programme performance and provide accurate reporting to project teams, clients, and senior stakeholders.
• Cost load, resource load, and code project programmes to support effective project controls and reporting.
• Support Project Managers with planning, change management, and programme recovery activities.
• Attend client, design, progress, and project meetings to provide planning expertise and programme updates.
• Liaise with clients, contractors, consultants, and delivery teams to ensure alignment on key project milestones and deliverables.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across planning and project controls activities.

Skills

Planning expertise

Primavera P6

Complex construction programmes

Construction methodologies

NEC contracts knowledge

Change management awareness

Analytical & stakeholder skills

Excel

UK driving licence

Degree in related field

Education

Bachelor's/Masters in Construction Management or related

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Planner

Department: Regulated Power

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Greenwich

Reporting To: Damian Webber

Description

Location: Greenwich | Contract Type: Permanent | Working Pattern: Full-Time | Office Based | Regular Travel

Pay / Benefits: Remuneration for this role is benchmarked competitively within our sector.

OCU is delivering major power infrastructure projects across the UK, including EHV cable systems, substations, and complex electrical network developments. As a Senior Planner, you'll play a critical role in shaping and controlling project delivery programmes from initial feasibility and tender stages through to construction and project completion.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing project controls function where you'll work closely with designers, project teams, clients, and supply chain partners to drive programme certainty and support successful project outcomes. If you thrive on solving complex planning challenges and enjoy influencing delivery across major infrastructure projects, we'd like to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Develop and manage project programmes from pre-construction through to project completion.
• Coordinate planning inputs from civil, electrical, and multidisciplinary design teams.
• Produce and maintain detailed project schedules, ensuring programmes accurately reflect project scope and delivery requirements.
• Monitor progress and update programmes throughout the project lifecycle, identifying risks and opportunities.
• Analyse programme performance and provide accurate reporting to project teams, clients, and senior stakeholders.
• Cost load, resource load, and code project programmes to support effective project controls and reporting.
• Support Project Managers with planning, change management, and programme recovery activities.
• Attend client, design, progress, and project meetings to provide planning expertise and programme updates.
• Liaise with clients, contractors, consultants, and delivery teams to ensure alignment on key project milestones and deliverables.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across planning and project controls activities.

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience in a Planning or Project Controls role within power, utilities, infrastructure, civil engineering, or construction environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Primavera P6.
• Experience developing and maintaining project programmes across complex construction projects.
• Good understanding of construction methodologies, sequencing, and project lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and awareness of change management processes.
• Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Degree or Master's qualification in Construction Management, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Bonus if you have experience working on substation, EHV cable, transmission, or power infrastructure projects.
• It would be great if you have experience using Microsoft Project alongside Primavera P6.
• It would be great if you have knowledge of FIDIC or JCT contract forms.
• CSCS card and an understanding of project controls methodologies would be advantageous.
• Experience with cost loading, resource loading, and earned value reporting would be beneficial.

What We Offer

At OCU, we believe that meaningful work should come with meaningful support. That's the principle behind Careers with Purpose, our commitment to ensuring every person at OCU feels supported, developed, and valued, not just in their role today, but throughout their career with us.

Alongside the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, we offer a benefits package that we are continuing to develop as we grow, and the kind of career acceleration that only comes from being inside a business moving at this pace.

As a rapidly growing organisation, there are genuine opportunities to progress, broaden your experience, and build a long-term career within OCU Group.

For a confidential conversation about this opportunity, please contact Jonathan Bryden at [e-mail].

Our vacancies are typically advertised for two weeks; however, we reserve the right to close applications early should we receive a sufficient number of suitable candidates. We therefore encourage early applications.